Wouldn't You Know It?
by YouHadMeAtHelloxo
Summary: This story follows the lives of the Kinkirk family, children ranging in ages from 12 to 17. I'm not great at summaries. Please read and review! COMPLETE!
1. D Minus

A/N: I'm back! Thanks to all of my faithful readers who have been asking me when my next story would be released. Here it is! I hope that you enjoy it. PLEASE review and tell me what you think so I know whether or not I should continue. This story is about the Kinkirk family (Lucy and Kevin and their kids)  
  
Wouldn't You Know It? : Chapter One  
  
Rating: PG  
  
15-year-old Brooke Kinkirk looked down at her English test that her teacher had just passed back. She let out a deep sigh as she saw a large red D- written boldly across the top. There was a line next to it. A parent signature line.  
"Great!" Brooke whispered to herself. Her parents were very strict on grades, and this was not her first low one. Her siblings always did well. They were star students. So what had happened to her? Brook's friend leaned over and placed her hand on Brook's shoulder.  
"It'll be OK." She said reassuringly. Brooke rolled her eyes and looked her friend in the eyes with a look that said otherwise. She wanted to cry, but kept the tears in her eyes. What would her parents have to say about THIS one?  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the bell that indicated that the school day was finally over. She stood up slowly and gathered her things. As she made her way out of the room, she heard her teacher's voice.  
"Brooke!" The teacher called. She sighed and turned around.  
"Yes, Mrs. Peters?" She asked with dread in her voice.  
"Come here please." The teacher said sternly. Brooke walked over to Mrs. Peters' desk slowly.  
"Yes?" She asked.  
"Sit down." Brooke did as she was told.  
"You got a D on your test, Brooke" The teacher said, as if Brooke didn't know already. "And right now, you're averaging a D in my class. What's going on?" Brooke's mind was racing. What could she say?  
"I-I don't know." She finally said.  
"Well, if you don't bring that grade up, I'll be calling your parents to come in for a little chat with me. Is that clear?" She asked. Brooke nodded her head.  
"Crystal." As she said this, someone cleared their throat in the back of the room. She spun around to see her 16-year-old brother Joseph and 14- year-old sister Chrissy standing there.  
"Where have you been Brooke?" Joseph questioned. "We've been waiting for you." Brooke stood up quickly and walked out of the room, pushing her way past her brother and sister. They came behind her. As he got closer, she walked faster. She could let no one see the tears streaming down her face. 


	2. Coming Home

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for all of these awesome reviews! I'm feeling very loved. Please continue sending reviews and enjoy this chapter!  
  
When they reached the car, Brooke climbed in and saw that her 17-year-old sister, Melissa, was sitting in the front seat. When Joseph and Chrissy got there, they climbed in as well. Instead of turning on the car to leave, Joseph turned to Brooke.  
"What was that all about?" He asked.  
"Nothing." Brooke said quickly, holding back tears.  
"Come on." He prompted.  
"I said nothing!" She shouted. Joseph sighed and started the car.  
"Fine." He said as they pulled out. It wasn't long before they pulled into the parking lot of the middle school, where their 12-year-old brother, Tyler, was waiting. He was the one of the only people still waiting for their ride. When he saw his siblings, he ran to the car and got into the back seat with Chrissy and Brooke.  
"You're 15 minutes late!" He said with annoyance in his voice. "Where were you?"  
"Ask Brooke." Joseph said quietly. Brooke ignored him, and they soon pulled out. They drove in silence all the way home. When they pulled into the driveway, Brooke was the first one out of the car. She ran inside before the others were even out of the car. The remaining siblings looked at one another in confusion, then went inside.  
When they went in the door, Lucy came over. She gave each of the four children a hug, and then turned to Joseph.  
"Do you know what's up with Brooke?" She asked. "She ran straight to her and Melissa's room when she came in." Joseph shook his head.  
"Not a clue." He said. All of the other kids shook their heads when Lucy looked to question them. Joseph shifted uncomfortably as his mother came back to him.  
"What do you know that you're not telling me, Joe?" She asked sternly. There aren't many things that intimidate a 16-year-old boy, but Lucy Kinkirk was definitely one of them.  
"Um-Um" He stuttered, not knowing what to say.  
"Spit it out." Lucy told him.  
"She might need to talk to you about something. That's all." He said. Lucy nodded her head.  
"Fine." She said with exasperation. "I'll go and find her. The four of you need to get started with your homework. The kids said nothing as they scattered, and Lucy started up the stairs.  
When she reached Brooke and Melissa's room, she knocked on the door. There was no answer. She opened it up and saw Brooke sitting on her bed with a fearful look on her face. Lucy walked over and sat down on Melissa's bed across from Brooke.  
"What's going on?" She asked. Brooke sighed and looked at the floor. She stood up and walked over to her binder. She took out the horrible test and took it to her mother silently. Lucy studied it then got a pen and signed it.  
"So?" Brooke asked nervously.  
"Well, I'm disappointed." Lucy said. "But we'll chat about what'll be done about this with your father when he gets home." Brooke nodded silently and Lucy left.  
'Great!' She thought to herself. 'Nothing like a chat with dad.' She walked over to her desk and sat down. She pulled out her binder, and with a sigh, began her homework.  
'This is going to be a long day.' 


	3. A Chat With Mom and Dad

A/N: Once again, thanks for the reviews, guys! Please tell me if you have any ideas of what to happen in this story! I have a general idea, but nothing specific!  
  
Wouldn't You Know It?: Chapter 3  
  
Rating: PG to be safe.  
  
Brooke didn't exactly look forward to the minute that her father would arrive home, but sure enough, just an hour later, she head the garage door going up. Five minutes later, her mother entered the room.  
"Brooke"  
"Yes?" She answered.  
"Let's go into the office to chat with your dad. Bring that test, kay?" She asked. Brooke nodded and followed her mother out of the room. They walked down the stairs and into her father's office where he was sitting reading a book. When they went into the room, Lucy and sat down with Kevin on the other side of the desk. She motioned for Brooke to sit down. She did so.  
"So let me see the paper, Brooke." Her father said. Brooke nodded and handed him the English test. He studied it for a few minutes, then set it down on the desk in front of him.  
"This is unacceptable." He said. "Unacceptable!" All Brooke could do was nod. "Joe never got anything lower than a B. Melissa didn't either. Well, that's not true. She got a C once, and we took care of that. But a D? A D minus." He cried. Brooke kept the tears in her eyes. She wouldn't cry. She hated to always be compared with her older brother and sister. They were so perfect! That wasn't Brooke. She wasn't bad, but she certainly wasn't as perfect as her siblings.  
"This isn't going to go unpunished." Her mother said. "Kev, what do you think?" He sighed.  
"Well, I'd say a week of grounding for sure." He said.  
"More like a month!" Lucy cried. "Kevin a D minus is one point away for an F." He nodded.  
"I guess you're right. Ok, so Brooke, you'll be grounded for a month."  
"And" Lucy added "You'll be cleaning up after every meal." Brooke felt as if she had snapped. She jumped up out of her chair.  
"That's unfair! It's one stupid grade on one stupid test! So what if Lissa and Joe are perfect! I'm not them!" She yelled. Lucy stood up and grabbed her daughter tightly by the shoulder.  
"You will NOT speak to me that way ever, EVER again. You're 15 years old, living under my roof." She whispered fiercely.  
"Grounded for a month. You can leave." Her father said.  
Now, being grounded in the Kinkirk house was a serious, serious matter. There was no phone, no tv, no friends over, and no leaving the house except for school and church.  
Brooke walked slowly to her bedroom. When she got there, she saw that Melissa was sitting on her bed studying.  
"So?" She asked Brooke. Brooke shrugged her shoulders, then burst into tears. Melissa got up and came over to her little sister, putting her arms around her.  
"It's OK. " She told her. When Brooke finally stopped crying, she told Melissa about the grade and grounding.  
"Yeah, I know what you feel like. When I got a C minus once, mom and dad grounded me and made me study every night with them AND have them check all of my homework. That was like torture!" She said. Brooke nodded.  
"I guess." She said. Melissa gave her a weak smile.  
"It'll be fine." She said. "Come on. Turn on a CD or go online. You are allowed to go online, right?" She asked. Brooke nodded and walked over to the computer. As soon as she was online, she sighed, and began typing an e-mail to her friends, letting them know that they wouldn't be able to do anything. Not for a month. 


	4. Phone Time

A/N: Hey hey! Thanks for the reviews. Some of you have been saying that you don't think that Lucy and Kevin would be so mean. Well, I agree if it was actually the tv show, but this is how they are in my story. They're really strict and stuff. Don't worry. They won't go wacko or anything. LoL. Hope that you enjoy this chapter, and please keep reviewing!  
  
The next month went by slowly. Brooke had forgotten how horrible it was to be grounded. No phone! No TV! And her parents had realized that she had been using the internet, so now there was none of that either. Life was not good. But finally, the month was up, and Brooke was free. She filled the weekend with trips to the mall with her friends and other out side of home activities.  
But soon it was Monday again. As if she knew that Brooke had just been set free, her science teacher assigned a research project. No one was very happy about being given it, as anyone can imagine, but Brooke was the most upset. A whole month of being imprisoned, and now this.  
After school, Brooke went to her room and sat on the bed. She reached over and picked up her phone. After dialing her best friend's number, she leaned back and listened the the loud ringing on the other end of the phone.  
"Hello?"  
"Hey Rachel, it's Brooke."  
"Brooke-Brooke--Hmm, Brooke who?" Asked her friend jokingly.  
"Brooke Kinkirk!"  
"I'm sorry, but I don't know a Brooke Kinkirk." She said. Brooke could practically see the gleam in her friend's eye as she said these words.  
"Sure."  
"Just kidding. You know I love you!"  
"Mmmhmm, whatever you say." Brooke said, pretending to be hurt.  
"Oh come on. You're fine!" Brooke laughed  
"So maybe you're right. What's up?" She said.  
"Nothing really. My brother isn't home for once in his life. It's amazingly quiet." Rachel said with a calm in her voice.  
"It's never quiet over here!" Brooke exclaimed. Rachel laughed.  
"Yeah, it must be rare."  
"That's the understatement of the century!" Brooke cried with a giggle.  
"True, true." Rachel agreed.  
Suddenly, there was a loud, sharp knock on the door and Joseph burst into the room.  
"Brooke! Get off the phone!" He yelled.  
"Hold on." She said to her friend. Then she looked up at her brother. "Why should I?" She asked.  
"Because everyone else in this home has a life too! You can't keep the line tied up! Some of us need to make calls, and people will be trying to reach us." He said angrily.  
"So in other words, you want to call Lindsey?" She asked. Lindsey was Joseph's girlfriend of 2 years.  
"AND other people!" Joe said after a minute.  
"Sure, big bro. Whatever you say."  
"Good. Now hang up." He said.  
"Not a chance." Brooke said calmly, and resumed her conversation with Rachel, ignoring everything that Joe was saying. Finally, he left the room, frustrated. Not too long after that happened, Melissa came into the room and flopped down on her bed across from Brooke. She demanded the phone as well, but Brooke still refused. She was determined to keep the phone and talk to Rachel. After all, she had it first! Melissa left and didn't return to fight more, so Brooke was happy. Quickly, 2 hours passed, and Brooke was still chatting with Rachel. Finally, Lucy came into the room.  
"Brooke, you've been on the phone for two and a half hours now. It's time to get off." She said.  
  
"No way." She answered, thinking that her mother was her older sister.  
"Excuse me?" Lucy asked.  
"For those who are hard of hearing, I said no!" Brooke said, raising her voice, still thinking that she was speaking to Melissa. Lucy grabbed the phone from Brooke.  
"Brooke has to go now. She'll see you at school tomorrow. Good bye." She said into it, then hung up.  
"You are so--" She stopped speaking when she turned around and saw that it was her MOTHER standing behind her. She gaped at her, not knowing what to say.  
"Finish your sentence." Lucy said. Brooke said nothing. "OK then, guess you choose not to." She continued. "You'll be staying in this room for the rest of the night, leaving only for the bathroom." She said.  
"But" Brooke stammered, "I thought that you were Melissa!" Lucy stared at her daughter for a second and then whispered fiercely  
"Are you implying that you would speak to your older sister like that? You have a lot of things to learn, Brooke Elizabeth Kinkirk, and I suggest you start with manners, otherwise you'll be much tanner, and not in a way that you want."  
Brooke winced. She knew what her mother meant. In other words, if she didn't start to be nicer, she would be slapped. This may not sound bad to most, but no one wants to be slapped by Lucy Kinkirk. 


	5. A Big Surprise

A/N: Here is a new chapter! Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
The next few days were odd, to say the least. Lucy continued to become more and more on edge, and everyone noticed it. It had been unlike her to flip out so much over a bad test grade, and to be so angry about not wanting to get off the phone. Little things began to send her off the deep end, and no one knew what was up.  
  
Then, one morning, Lucy seemed to be insane. No one wanted to speak to her, in fear of losing their heads. Everyone hurried off to school. During fourth period math, Brooke sat doing her work, tuning out the class around her. Her teacher had assigned quite a bit for that night, and she didn't want to have any homework. Suddenly, Brooke felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up to see her teacher standing next to her.  
  
"Brooke, this just came." She said, showing her a pink office pass. "It says that you need to go down there immediately. Finish this work tonight." Brooke nodded her head. Not thinking much of the situation, she gathered her things slowly, and sidled out of the room. She made her way down to the office, where she saw Melissa. As soon as she saw Brooke, Melissa ran over and hugged her.  
  
"What's going on?" Brooke asked, very confused. "Mom's in the hospital." Melissa answered. "Joe's already there. I was just waiting for you. You're signed out. Let's go." She said. Brooke followed her out of the building in shock. What could have happened? When they arrived, Melissa and Brooke ran inside. Joseph and Tyler and Kevin met them in the waiting room.  
  
"What happened?" Brooke asked her Joseph. He looked at her, and then at Melissa.  
  
"You didn't tell her?" He asked.  
  
"I didn't want her to worry." She answered. Brooke became even more scared.  
  
"Just tell me now!" She cried, surprising them both. "What happened to my mother?"  
  
"She had a heart attack." Melissa answered quietly. Tears filled Brooke's eyes as she sat down and placed her head in her hands. Finally, she looked up at her father, brothers and sister.  
  
"Will she be OK?" She asked. They looked at one another, then Kevin placed his hand on her shoulder.  
"They don't know." He answered. "No one knows."  
  
A/N: NOW do you see why I was having Lucy act so weird? Now stop yelling at me about it!! LoL. Can't a girl lead up to something? 


	6. More News

A/N: Hey, thanks for all of the reviews! I'm glad that you liked the last chapter : - ) Hope you like this next one!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
The next hour dragged by slowly. Everyone sat nervously in the waiting room. No one spoke. Their minds were going a million miles an hour. Everyone jumped when a nurse entered the small room.  
  
"Kevin Kinkirk?" She asked. Kevin looked up quickly.  
  
"Yes, that's me." He said.  
  
"Why don't you step in here with me for a minute to discuss your wife." She said. Kevin began to stand when protests broke out all over the room.  
  
"She's my mother!" Cried Brooke.  
  
"We want to know what's going on!" Joseph added. The nurse sighed. "Fine, all Kinkirk family members, follow me into this room." They did so. It was a small room, but they all fit. "How is she?" They asked in unison.  
  
"She's-she's slipped into a coma." The nurse answered. A painful sigh sounded throughout the room.  
  
"She'll be OK, won't she?" Kevin asked. She nurse looked at the ground for a moment, then raised her eyes to meet Kevin's.  
  
"We don't know yet." She told them. "I'm sorry." Kevin nodded bravely.  
  
"Can we see her?" Tyler asked. The nurse nodded her head.  
  
"Yes. Right this way." She lead them down the narrow hall and then into a room. Lucy lay in the bed, hooked up to many machines. A rythmic beep rang through out the room.  
  
As Kevin approached Lucy's motionless body, a tear rolled down his cheek. All of the children were taken aback. They had never seen their father cry. He kneeled down next to her bed and rested his head on her hand.  
  
"Lucy" He whispered. "Lucy wake up. Please wake up." He began to cry again. "I love you." He said. Brooke and Melissa cried silently in the back of the room. Tyler slowly approached his father and put his arms around him. Kevin pulled Tyler close. Soon, all of the other children walked over and hugged him. They all positioned them selves around the bed and silently prayed. They prayed for Lucy that if it was in God's will, she would wake up, and that all would return to normal. 


	7. I Love You

Days passed, and still nothing happened. They were at the hospital everyday. The kids came over right after school to sit with their mother, and Kevin was there whenever he wasn't working. Then the news came. A call came from the hospital telling them that they needed to come up. Everyone rushed there and they were met by a nurse who led them to Lucy's room.  
  
"What happened? What's the news?" Kevin asked nervously.  
  
"We don't think that Lucy is going to make it." She answered sadly. Kevin sunk down into a chair.  
  
"Wh-What happened?" He asked.  
  
"It seems that her system has begun to shut itself down. Her heart rate has dropped significantly, and it's not consistent. Her condition is dropping. We want to give you as much time with her as possible." She said. From that moment on, the Kinkirks were there all the time. They woke up and came to the hospital, and didn't go home until nine or ten at night. Tyler, Brooke, Joe and Melissa didn't go to school.  
  
Then finally, four days later, a loud alarm suddenly rang out in Lucy's hospital room. Kevin jumped up and looked at the heart monitor, where all he saw was a straight line. Doctors rushed into the room and surrounded Lucy.  
  
"Clear!" A voice shouted. The line on the monitor stayed straight.  
  
"Clear!" The voice yelled again. Still nothing. They began to back up.  
  
"Please, try once more." He begged them desperately. They nodded slowly.  
  
"Clear!" The room went silent. One of the doctors came over to Kevin. He placed his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said. Kevin approached Lucy and sank down by her side. He began to cry. The cry quickly turned to a sob. All the kids ran over and surrounded the bed again, crying.  
  
"I love you, Lucy. I love you so much." Kevin whispered. "I love you mom." The kids said in unison. Then, slowly, they were escorted from the room by a nurse.  
  
A/N: OK guys: I'm sorry. I know that this isn't what you wanted to happen. But I know where this story is going to go. Hang in there, OK? : - / 


	8. A New Idea

A/N: I've witten chapters 6, 7 and this one (8) all in one shot, so I have no reviews to thank you for! Haha. Well, please enjoy this one. Give me a chance: I know what I wanna do! Hang in there.  
  
As any one could imagine, the next weeks were hard. But slowly, things began to return to normal. The kids returned to school, and Kevin returned to work. A month went by, then two, three, four, five, six. No one could believe that it had already been half of a year since the passing of Lucy. Tyler turned 13, and Melissa 18. Finally, the school year ended. Melissa graduated from high school. She decided on which college she would attend. She decided to go to one only about 30 minutes from home. She didn't want to be to far from her family.  
  
They had all become closer since the event. They liked to go out as a family. The kids liked to do things together. Melissa and Brooke would go to a movie with each other, or Joseph and Tyler would go play baseball. It was nice.  
  
Then, one day, Kevin called a family meeting. They met in the living room. Everyone sprawled out on the sofas and chairs, waiting to hear what their father had to say. After a few minutes, he stood and faced them all.  
  
"I have to talk to you guys about something." He said. Everyone nodded.  
  
"What's going on dad?" Tyler asked.  
  
"Yeah, what's up?" Melissa added.  
  
"Well," Kevin began slowly," I don't really know how to say this."  
  
"Just spit it out." Brooke said.  
  
"OK. Here goes." He said nervously. "I've met woman. Her name is Holly. She's so nice, you guys would love her."  
  
"And?" Tyler prompted. "What about her?"  
  
"I'm thinking of asking her over for dinner." He said.  
  
"Like a date?" Brooke cried.  
  
"Yes, like a date. You can all meet her and we can talk about whether or not you'd be comfortable with me dating her."  
  
"No!" Tyler yelled.  
  
"No way." Brooke said. Melissa reached over and shushed them.  
  
"I think it's a great idea, dad. It would be good for you. For all of us."  
  
"No it wouldn't!" Tyler objected. "Mom was the only one. You can't start seeing some other lady. That would be weird. Wrong." Kevin placed his hand on Tyler's shoulder.  
  
"It's been 7 months now, Ty. It's time I start seeing other people." He said. Tyler thought for a minute.  
  
"Fine." He said finally. "She can come to dinner. Then, and ONLY then can we discuss whether you'd start seeing her."  
  
"Fair." Kevin answered. Brooke nodded her head slowly.  
  
"OK." She said.  
  
"Joe?" Kevin asked. "What do you think?" Joe thought for a minute, then spoke.  
  
"I guess it would be OK. Yeah, it would be fine."  
  
"All righty then. It's settled. I'll call Holly tonight, and hopefully she'll be eating here with us tomorrow night." He said. Every one nodded.  
  
"OK." They answered. They all stood and exited the room. Kevin walked over to the phone and sat down. He picked up the receiver and dialed.  
  
"Hello, Holly?" 


	9. Holly

A/N: Hey everybody. I've gotten your reviews-thanks so much for trusting me on this! You're awesome. Oh, and thanks to those of you who pointed out my BIG mistake.forgetting to enter Chrissy in the last few chapters! Silly silly me. LoL. Well, she's back! Haha.  
  
The next evening at 6:02 pm, the doorbell rang in the home of the Kinkirks. Kevin walked over and opened up the door. Every one was taken aback when they saw the woman who walked in the door. She was of average height, blonde, brown eyed, beautiful.  
  
"K guys. This is Holly." Kevin said. Holly smiled at the bunch.  
  
"Holly, this is my oldest, Melissa. She's 18. Here's Joe, 16, Brooke is 15, Chrissy's 14, and my youngest is Tyler. He's 13." Holly laughed and shook each of their hands.  
  
"It's great to meet all of you!" She said sweetly. They chatted for a minute, before Kevin had dinner ready.  
  
"Come on!" He interjected. "Let's go eat!" Everyone laughed and followed him into the kitchen. They all sat down and Kevin got the food. After serving each of them, he sat down.  
  
"So Holly, do you have any kids from your previous marriage?" Brooke asked.  
  
"Brooke!" Kevin shot her an awful look. Holly laughed.  
  
"Oh don't worry Kev. It's fine. No Brooke, I don't. My husband was killed in a car accident two years ago. I was actually pregnant when he passed away, but I miscarried two days later." She answered.  
  
"Oh-I'm sorry." Brooke said. Holly gave her a small smile.  
  
"It was hard, but I'm getting through it." She said. Brooke nodded and took a bite of her chicken.  
  
"This is good, dad." She said, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, dad." Tyler added.  
  
"Thanks. All I did was unwrap it, but hey, if you like it, I won't object!" He laughed.  
  
They finished their dinner and then everyone chatted in the living room for awhile. At 8:30, Holly looked down at her watch and stood up.  
  
"I better get going." She said. Kevin nodded his head. "Thanks so much for having me over, Kev." She said. "Thanks to all of you! I've had a wonderful time."  
  
"Thank you for coming over, Holly. This has been fun." Kevin said. He walked her to the door. They shared a quick hug before Holly walked out the door. She waved, then walked to her car.  
  
Once she had pulled away, Kevin turned to his kids.  
  
"So?" He asked.  
  
"I love her!" Brooke and Melissa said together.  
  
"Me too." Said Chrissy. The rest of the kids nodded.  
  
"So would you be OK with it if"  
  
"Yes." Was heard through out the room.  
  
"OK. Cool." Kevin said. Then he looked more serious. "I know that this is a big step, guys. You have to tell me if there's anything at all that you're having trouble with about it OK. You come first. Not Holly or anyone else. You."  
  
"Thanks dad." Was heard throughout the room. He smiled and held out his arms. Everyone smiled and came over and hugged him. It had been a great night. 


	10. Kiss & Tell

A/N: Hope that you enjoyed the last chapter! Here's a new one : - )  
  
The next month went by quickly. Kevin and Holly went out some more and enjoyed themselves. They made plans to go to the movies together, so that night, the doorbell rang.  
  
"Can someone get that please?" Kevin yelled from upstairs. Brooke walked to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hi Holly." She said warmly.  
  
"Hey Brooke!" Holly answered, hugging Brooke.  
  
"How are you?" Brooke asked.  
  
"Pretty good. How about you?"  
  
"I'm good as well." Just then, Kevin came down the stairs. He smiled when he made eye contact with Holly. He came over and they hugged.  
  
"Ready to go?" He asked her.  
  
"Yep." She said. Kevin took her by the hand.  
  
"Ok. Guys, we're leaving." He yelled.  
  
"OK." Brooke said. "See ya." Kevin and Brooke left. Soon, Joe came running down the stairs, looking nice himself.  
  
"Where are you going?" Brooke asked.  
  
"I'm taking Lindsey to dinner." He said. Brooke had always liked Joe's girl friend.  
  
"Ok, have fun."  
  
"Will. Bye." He said, and walked out the door. Brooke made her way upstairs and into her room where Melissa was reading.  
  
"What do you think of Holly?" She asked her little sister. Brooke looked up.  
  
"I like her a lot. What about you?" Melissa sat her book down and looked at Brooke.  
  
"I like her. It's weird though, you know? It's always been dad taking MOM out to a movie or MOM out to dinner. He was always hugging MOM. Not some other chick."  
  
"Yeah, I guess I know what you mean. But you have to realize, mom's gone. She's been gone for 8 months. It's time we get used to dad being with other women."  
  
"I know. It's just hard, that's all." Melissa said. Brooke nodded and hugged her older sister.  
  
"Give it time." She said. Finally, Melissa went back to reading, and Brooke put her headphones on. She turned on her favorite CD and leaned back on her bed, listening to it.  
  
Down the hall, Chrissy worked on her English essay.  
  
"Write 500 words or more on why or why not you think the driving age should be changed to eighteen." She read aloud. She looked down at her paper and counted.  
  
" 'I think that the driving age should stay at sixteen because'-Eleven words. Eleven of 500. Great." She sighed, and began writing.  
  
An hour passed, then two. The house was quiet. Everyone seemed to have something to do. Melissa read, Brooke listened to her headphones, Chrissy wrote her essay, Joe was out with Lindsey, and Tyler talked on the phone. Then, Brooke heard a car door close outside of the house.  
  
She walked over to the window and saw her father and Holly walking towards the house. She took of her headphones and left the room. She made her way down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she turned and saw Holly and her father. She was about to speak when Kevin leaned toward Holly and kissed her. Holly smiled and kissed him back. They stood there kissing for a moment before Holly burst into tears. The couple quickly separated and ran over to her.  
  
"Brooke, what's wrong?" Kevin asked.  
  
"You're only supposed to kiss mom! MOM!" Brooke cried. Kevin out his arm around Brooke and pulled her close.  
  
"Brooke, honey, mom is" He didn't finish his sentence. "Now it's Holly and I. Mom isn't here anymore." Brooke slowly calmed down.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said. "I guess it just kind of came as a shock, seeing you two kissing. I'm not used to it-at all."  
  
"No Brooke, I'M sorry." Holly said. "I shouldn't have done that. I know that you guys are still going through that loss." Holly took Brooke into her arms and held her tightly.  
  
"It's OK. You're fine-you didn't do anything wrong." Brooke said. Kevin leaned over and put his arm around Brooke as well. They sat there for a minute then stood up.  
  
"You're tired." Kevin said to Brooke. "Let's go upstairs, OK?" He asked. Brooke nodded then turned to Holly.  
  
"Sorry again. Really, you didn't do anything wrong." She said. Holly smiled weakly at her.  
  
"You're a cool girl, Brooke. Really cool." She said. They hugged once more, then Kevin said goodbye to Holly and kissed her quickly good night. She left, and Kevin and Brooke walked upstairs together. It had been a long day. 


	11. A Tearful Anniversary

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. I'm glad that you're liking what I'm doing. This is definitely my deepest story. I hope that you like this chapter. I enjoyed writing it. It made me cry : - )  
  
Months passed and Holly became more and more a part of the lives of the Kinkirks. She and Kevin dated more frequently and the kids seemed to adjust pretty well. Then it came: The one year anniversary to Lucy's death. It was a sad day. In the living room of the Kinkirk home, there were pictures of her everywhere, and when friends and family members came to visit, they went in there to look at the photos, and add their own. Everyone was surprised when Holly showed up. She was dressed in a knee length black dress, one much like the dress Melissa was wearing. She hugged all the kids, then took Kevin by the hand and went with him into the living room.  
  
She stared thoughtfully at all the pictures, not knowing what to say. This is the woman Kevin lost. This is the mother that the kids no longer had. It was too much to bear. She silently began to cry. Kevin turned her towards him and hugged her. She buried her head in his chest and cried. He held her close. He rested his head on top of hers and began to cry as well. No one bothered them. Kevin sat holding Holly in his arms for what seemed like forever. Finally, the lifted her eyes towards his. Kevin looked at her face, still just as beautiful tear-stained as it was with fresh make up, and said it for the first time.  
  
"I love you." He said. A tear rolled down Holly's cheek.  
  
"I love you." She replied. They leaned together and kissed short, but meaningful.  
  
"I'm sorry that you had to go through this." She said to him. Kevin could just nod. This time, he cried. She pulled his head onto her shoulder and put her arms around him. When he stopped crying, they stood up and hugged. Then, they started to leave the room. Kevin stopped as they were on the very outskirts of the room. He turned around and looked at all the pictures of Lucy. He remembered the times with her. He remembered taking each picture, each with it's own significance. Slowly, he brought his hand to his lips and blew a kiss to Lucy. Then, silently, he turned back around and left the room with Holly.  
  
When they entered the main room, Melissa, Joe, Brooke, Chrissy, and Tyler came over and put their arms around Kevin and Holly. They hugged for a long while, then pulled back. Holly looked from Kevin to Melissa to Joe and everyone else. She looked them each in the eye, then spoke.  
  
"Your family is so amazing." She said quietly. "You guys are so lucky to have one another. I've never seen a family as close as yours."  
  
"Thank you." Kevin said. The rest of the kids echoed him.  
  
They spent the rest of the day together-just the Kinkirks and Holly. 


	12. The Question

A/N: I hope that you're liking this! I'm loving what's going to happen in this chapter---  
  
Two days later, Kevin asked Holly to go out to dinner with him. She accepted. That night, Kevin was rushing around the house getting ready. They were going to a nice restaurant, so he had on nicer clothes. When he was finally ready to go, he said goodbye to the kids and got in the car. He drove down to Holly's apartment. When he got there, he walked up and rang the bell. When Holly opened the door he gasped. She looked beautiful. She wore a knee-length light blue dress with cap sleeves, and a modest neckline. He smiled at her.  
  
"You look gorgeous." He told her. She smiled.  
  
"You don't look too shabby yourself." She told him. He pecked her on the cheek.  
  
"Ready to go?" He asked.  
  
"Yes I am." She said. He took her by the hand and led her out to his car. They got in and drove to the restaurant. When they got there, they were lead to their table. They ordered their dinner then got to chatting. Their food soon arrived. They split a piece of prime rib. After they finished, they sat, looking around the beautiful restaurant. There was a band up on a stage in the next room and many people dancing.  
  
"Let's go dance!" Holly said excitedly.  
  
"OK, but first I have to ask you a question." He said.  
  
"OK, go ahead." She said, giving Kevin her full attention. She gasped when he pulled something out of his pocket and got down on one knee.  
  
"I love you so much." He told her. "And since the day I met you, I've been happy. I was so depressed after Lucy passed away, but you came into my life and lit it up." Tears were streaming down Holly's face. "You've become such a big part in my life. In all of our lives. I want it to stay that way." He opened the box to show a ring. "Holly Adrienne Jones, will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes!" Holly said through tears. "Yes! Yes!" She said as Kevin stood up and took her into his arms. They kissed.  
  
"Now we can dance." He said, slipping the engagement ring onto her finger. As they walked onto the dance floor, everyone clapped for them, and a member of the band wished them congratulations over the mike. They then played a slow dance dedicated to the couple. It seemed that they were on top of the world. The night came to a perfect end there, the band softly playing a song while Holly and Kevin swayed back and forth to the music together. 


	13. Family Meeting

A/N: Nothing really to say-enjoy this chapter!  
  
Kevin finally drove Holly home. After a kiss and promise to see one another tomorrow, Kevin left and came home. When he walked in the door, he walked to the stairs.  
"Family meeting!" He shouted. Soon, the kids all ran down the stairs and met him in the living room.  
"Yeah?" Brooke asked.  
"What's up?" Melissa asked.  
"What's going on?"  
Kevin smiled at them and then stood up.  
"I have to talk to you guys." He said  
"OK. What's up?" Tyler asked.  
"Well" Kevin began. He smiled. "Holly and I got engaged tonight." The room seemed to explode.  
"Are you serious?"  
"Wow!"  
"This is so cool!"  
"So you're OK with it?" Kevin asked.  
"Yes!" Was the resounding answer heard throughout the room. The kids tackled him with hugs.  
"When's the wedding?" Joe asked.  
"We haven't discussed it yet." Kevin answered.  
"Congratulations!" Melissa told him.  
"Yeah dad, Congrats." Tyler said.  
The kids all came over to hug their dad before leaving the room. The only one that stayed was Brooke. Once everyone was gone, she walked over and sat down next to her dad. She immediately began to cry.  
"Brooke, what's wrong?" He asked.  
"Nothing's wrong." She said. "These are happy tears."  
"Explain." Kevin said, putting his arm around her.  
"Ever since mom died, it's been really hard to not have that kind of figure in my life. But since you had Holly over, it felt like it was there again. She takes care of us when we're sad and she shows us her feelings. I just fell in love with her. This is going to be so cool. I can't believe that I'm going to have a mom again. Holly!" They hugged for a minute, then Kevin looked at Brooke.  
"I feel the same way. I'm so glad that you're happy." He said.  
"I love you dad." She said. He smiled.  
"I love you too." 


	14. The Dream

A/N: Hey everyone. Thank you for the reviews. Jae, I got your review. Thank you so much for your encouragement. I need that! I'm glad that you're enjoying this story, and thank you for your comment on my switch in writing styles for this story. I loved your idea, so I decided to use it. Here it is, all thanks to you!  
  
That night, Kevin lay in his bed awake long after his children were all asleep. His mind was racing. He couldn't stop thinking about Holly. In just a little time, she would be sleeping there next to him. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep---  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kevin sat in the living room on the couch. He heard the garage door shut. He looked up and saw Lucy walking into the room. He smiled and ran to her, taking her into his arms. He kissed her and held her close.  
  
"Lucy, I love you so much. I miss you." He said to her. Lucy smiled at him.  
  
"I love you, Kevin. I've been watching from up there. I know that you all went through so much, all because of me. I'm sorry. It hurt to watch you go through all that pain." She said, a silvery tear running down her cheek. Kevin wiped it away and she continued talking. "And now you moved on. That's so awesome Kevin thank you so much. It would have made me crazy to see you stay in that pain. Since you met Holly, I saw you change. You were happier. I'm so glad that you moved on."  
  
"I love you so much." Kevin said again. "Holly will never, ever replace you Lucy, know that. I love Holly. The kids love Holly. But she'll never take your place in our hearts or minds." Lucy leaned forward and put her fingers over his lips, quieting him.  
  
"I know. You'll move on and by doing so better your life and the kids lives. You're keeping our family alive Kev, you're amazing. Thank you. I love you." She said. "I'm sorry that I was so crazy before my heart attack. I was so horrible to you, and everyone else. I feel so bad about how hard I was on Brooke when she got that grade. I regret that so much!"  
  
"That was just as much me." Kevin told her.  
  
"Yes, but I was trying to make it hard for her. I wish I had never done that. Kevin, please, will you give her a hug and a kiss for me. Tell her that I'm sorry and that I love her. Tell Melissa happy 18th birthday. Tell her I'm so proud of her for all she's done to take care of everyone. Tell Tyler happy 13th birthday. Tell them all-tell Melissa, tell Joe, tell Brooke, tell Chrissy, and tell Tyler, tell them to take Holly into their heart as their mother. Tell them to look to her as their mother like they looked to me. Give them all my love." She said, rising and beginning to walk to the front door. Kevin stood to follow her, but she stopped him.  
  
"Sweetie, I've got to go. You have to stay here. Live your life with Holly. Don't take a second of it for granted. You have my blessing." She said. Kevin nodded as tears ran down his face.  
  
"I love you." He told her. She smiled.  
  
"I love you." She said., They kissed.  
  
"Good bye, Kevin. I love you." She said, and walked out the front door.  
  
"Good bye."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kevin awoke with a start. His face was wet with tears. He rolled over and looked at the clock. 8:00 am. He'd slept in. He lay there and wonder, was that really Lucy? He looked over at the picture he had of her on his night stand. There was a small piece of paper next to it. He picked it up. He gasped when he saw what it said. Written in Lucy's handwriting were the three words: I Love You. He got out of bed, threw on a robe, and ran down stairs. He had some messages to deliver to his kids. 


	15. Making Plans

A/N: Hey everyone. Thanks for the reviews. Sorry that some of you aren't going for this plot. I like it, personally. Oh well. LoL. For those of you who do like it (which thankfully WAY outweighs the people who don't like it), enjoy this chapter :-)  
  
Kevin rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen where all of his kids were. They sat in an intense silence as Kevin told him about his dream. After he told them, everyone sat in a kind of stunned state for a few minutes, before getting up and quietly continuing their day. The kids all left for school. It was finally the last week, so they were all very ready to be done. At noon, Holly came over.  
  
Kevin greeted her warmly with a hug and a kiss, then led her into the kitchen. He told her about his dream, how Lucy blessed their wedding. Holly seemed greatly relieved. She smiled and kissed Kevin.  
  
"That's so cool." She said. Kevin nodded.  
  
"I know." He said. "I know."  
  
They pulled out magazines and such and started to discuss the wedding. Would it be soon? Far away? Big? Small? All the questions filled their minds and mouths. They decided to have the wedding soon, in two months, then go on a cruise through the Bahamas for their honeymoon. The kids were all old enough, they decided, to stay at home with out a baby- sitter. After they finished deciding that, they took a break and went down to the promenade for lunch. After they ate, they pulled out a piece of paper and began planning who would be invited to the wedding.  
  
"Well, of course Melissa, Joe, Brooke, Chrissy, and Tyler." Kevin said. "And my parents, my sister, and my brother " Holly nodded as she scribbled all the things down.  
  
"And we'll have my mom and dad and my brother." Holly added. "My Aunt, Uncle, and little cousins. They're ten and twelve." She said. They discussed it for awhile longer then had it ready to go.  
  
"OK. Now what?" Holly asked.  
  
"Now we get working on the invitations." Kevin said. They began to shop for them, but couldn't find any that they liked a lot. After a few hours, they gave up.  
  
"Let's look another time, Kev. I don't think we'll find any here." Holly said.  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right." Kevin said with a laugh.  
  
"Movie?" He asked her.  
  
"Sounds good." She answered. Hand in hand, they walked into the movie theater.  
  
A/N: OK, I know that this chapter was boring, but it had to be in here, ya know? LoL. Next one will be better. 


	16. A Little Shopping

A/N: Hey, no one caught me on it (or at least no one said anything) but I made a mistake last chapter by saying that it was the last week of school, but school ended in chapter 8! Sorry about that! Oh, Jae, you're so funny, LoL. I'm glad you feel special. Haha. So with out further ado, I give you chapter 16 of 'Wouldn't You Know It'!  
  
The next few weeks passed quickly for everyone. Kevin and Holly found invitations that they both liked at a good price so they got those and soon got their wedding invitations out in the mail. Then one day, Holly and Brooke went out to look for Holly's wedding dress.  
  
They arrived at the bridal shop at 3 PM and were stunned by all of the gorgeous dresses. They looked for awhile, but couldn't find anything that they could see Holly wearing. Then finally, they came upon a pretty dress. They grabbed it in Holly's size and she ran to try it on. Brooke sat waiting at the entrance of the dressing rooms when she heard Holly clear her throat. She looked up and gasped. Holly looked beautiful. The dress had thin spaghetti straps and a scooping neckline. It flowed gracefully down to the floor. It was covered in small, shimmering beads and was trimmed with lace.  
  
"What do you think?" Holly asked.  
  
"Its-amazing." Brooke told her. Holly smiled.  
  
"Isn't it wonderful?" She asked, spinning around.  
  
"How much?" Holly turned around and looked at the tag.  
  
"$650." She answered.  
  
"Not bad for a wedding dress." Brooke commented. Holly nodded in agreement.  
  
"Do you think-?" Brooke nodded.  
  
"That's the one."  
  
"I thought so." Holly said with a sly smile. "I'll go change and then we can get this, K?"  
  
"K." Brooke answered. Holly hurried off down the hall and back into the changing room. A few minutes later, she emerged dressed in her normal clothes, carrying the beautiful dress carefully. They girls walked up the cash register where Holly paid using her credit card. Then, together, they walked to Holly's car. With caution, they placed the dress in the back, then got in the front.  
  
"Shall we go for ice cream to celebrate?" Holly asked. Broke laughed.  
  
"Sounds good to me. My treat." She said. Holly smiled.  
  
"You don't have to do that."  
  
"I know, but you're the beautiful bride. You deserve a little pampering." Brooke said.  
  
"OK. If you insist--."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Thanks." Said Holly. With that, they pulled out and drove to the promenade. When they got there they walked to the ice cream parlor, got their treats, and found an empty table. They said and talked while they happily ate their ice cream. Yes, this was a good day. 


	17. The End

A/N: This is the last chapter! I hope that you love it! I sure do! I'll chat with ya after the chapter, kay?  
  
The next month was a whirlwind of wedding preparations. Then finally, the day came. The morning was filled with running around. All the kids were getting dressed in their nice clothes. Kevin hurried around, getting into his tuxedo. Finally, they were all ready, and it was time. They piled into the car and drove to the church. When they got there, they barely had anytime until they had to be in their places.  
  
Quiet music played in the church. It was time. Kevin stood nervously as the doors opened and people came walking down the isles. The flower girl, the ring bearer, the bridesmaids. Finally, the wedding march rang loud and clear, and Holly appeared in the doorway.  
  
She looked like an angel in her beautiful dress; her blonde hair swept up, leaving only one curly strand in the front. She walked down the isle with her father slowly. When she reached Kevin, she took his hand and walked up to the altar. Kevin looked at his bride, seeing tears silently rolling down her cheeks. She smiled at him and mouthed the words 'I love you.'. The pastor came out and had them recite their vows. Suddenly, it was the big moment. It was time to say those two little words that change your life. And they said them.  
  
"I do." They said.  
  
"Then it is with the power vested in me by the state of California that I pronounce you man and wife." He said. "You may kiss the bride."  
  
Kevin leaned forward and pulled back Holly's veil. He kissed her softly on the lips. When he pulled away, she smiled, and he leaned in for another kiss. The couple clasped hands and started down the isle. They climbed into the limo waiting outside, and were off to the reception.  
  
They drove for a short while then came to the park where they were having their reception. When they climbed out of the car, a voice boomed out of the speakers.  
  
"May I present to you, Mr. And Mrs. Kevin Kinkirk!" A voice said. The crowed erupted with applause. Music began playing, giving the man and wife their dance. Holly looked into Kevin's deep brown eyes as they danced slowly, and he looked intently back into hers.  
  
"I love you." He told her.  
  
"I love you." She said. They kissed and continued dancing. Their song ended and everyone else joined in with the dancing. Melissa cut in to dance with her father, and Joe to dance with his new mother. The time was enjoyed by everyone. Before leaving for the honey moon, the Kinkirk family met alone.  
  
"We love you." Kevin and Holly told the kids.  
  
"We love you too." The kids said. Chrissy stepped forward.  
  
"I'll miss you. Both of you. Only a week, right?" She asked.  
  
"Only a week." Kevin answered. Brooke came and hugged Holly with tears streaming down her face.  
  
"I can't believe it." She said. "I have a mother again."  
  
"Oh don't you make me start crying too!" Holly said. Within seconds there were tears on her cheeks too. They hugged for a minute longer, then Kevin and Holly had to leave. They distributed hugs to everyone then turned and began down the path back to their limo.  
  
As they were walking away from the party, they had never felt better. Kevin hadn't been this happy in a long time. He had a full family again. He had five kids who he cherished, and a wife who he loved very much. As he followed Holly into the car, he looked up at the sky. He could almost see Lucy smiling.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~The End~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: I hope that you liked it. Please review! Kay now I have a question for ya. Would you like me to: leave the story how it is, add an epilogue, or write a sequel? Tell me, and I'll go with majority! Thanks, CamdenGirl4ever. 


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